1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of wire, cable, lines, or cord management, and more particularly to systems and methods for stabilizing wire, cable, line, or cord systems under heavy or variable loading conditions.
2. Background of the Invention
Cabling today is ubiquitous. As the number of applications and appliances that require some form of cable or wire connections increases, so does the amount of cabling. Such cabling may consists of electrical cabling to supply power to a device, a home, or an office. Cabling may also be used for data communication, such as, for example, wires for cable television, telephone lines, Internet access lines, and fiber optic cabling.
As society becomes ever more reliant on the services provided by cabling, whether it is simply providing power or providing some service such as telephone access, it becomes even more important that cabling systems be protected from failures. Failures in the cabling can occur as a result of stresses on the cabling. The stresses may result from mechanical or thermal changes. These failures are particularly more prevalent in cabling that resides in outdoor environments. Loading on the cable may occur due to strong winds or due to snow, ice, trees, or other items falling or resting on the cable.
Consider, by way of example, problems that occur for cables, such as power lines and telephone lines during ice storms. During ice storms, it is not uncommon that the accumulation of ice on such lines increases the tension in those lines to the point at which the lines break or the supporting structures upholding those lines collapse, leaving many people without electricity or telephone access. Not only do such broken lines deprive individuals of essential services, but finding and repairing those broken lines is time consuming and costly.
Prior solutions to dealing with increased loading on cables caused by abnormal weather conditions have focused on making the supporting structures heavier and more rigid. Unfortunately, in many cases that has not been sufficient to prevent the collapse of long sections of cables, resulting in catastrophic consequences to consumers and to suppliers. Conditions causing such failures can, nonetheless, be expected to arise anew, year after year.
Accordingly, what is needed are improved systems and methods of stabilizing wire, cable, line, or cord systems to withstand greater variations in loading.